“Sorry,” I said. “I guess I’m obsessing a bit about this trip to Faerie.” It made as good an excuse as any.
Ethan nodded and picked up his menu. This time, he was the one deliberately avoiding my eyes. “It’s going to be a fun time all right. You, me, Kimber, and Keane all hanging out together twenty-four/seven.”
I snorted. “
The look in Ethan’s eyes hardened. “You’re not going to die,” he said, reaching across the table to take my hand in his. The touch made my belly flutter again. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He grimaced. “And neither is anyone else.”
I squeezed Ethan’s hand and smiled. “Thanks. I know you’ll all do your best. And maybe I’m getting myself all worked up over nothing. Maybe it’ll end up being as safe as a school trip.”
The look on Ethan’s face told me he didn’t believe that any more than I did. The waiter chose that moment to come over and take our orders. Neither one of us had done more than glance at the menu, but Ethan knew what he wanted, and I made a snap decision, more interested in Ethan’s comment about our traveling companions.
“Do you think it’s a bad idea for all four of us to go?” I asked when the waiter was out of earshot. “Are you and Keane going to try to kill each other before the first day’s travel is through?”
To say Ethan and Keane disliked each other was an understatement. Ethan, for whatever reason, was jealous of the time I spent with Keane. Time I spent getting my butt kicked, not making out or anything, but Ethan didn’t seem to make the distinction. And apparently, Ethan had stolen Keane’s girlfriend when they were in high school, so Keane hated him. I didn’t know whether anyone but me realized Kimber was into Keane, but I’d bet if the boys found out, it wouldn’t help the situation. So far, I’d never been around Ethan and Keane together, but I’d be shocked if sparks didn’t fly.
Ethan scowled at me. “Having the two of us so close together is a recipe for disaster. But I won’t start anything if he doesn’t.”
And didn’t that just fill me with confidence?
“This trip is going to be miserable enough without you two going all MMA on us.”
Ethan cocked his head to the side. “MMA?”
“Mixed Martial Arts. I guess that’s a U.S. thing, huh?” Or maybe just a
“I guess. What is it?”
I shrugged. “Some fighting thing. Lots of blood and testosterone. Not my cup of tea.”
Ethan grinned, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m not a complete idiot, you know. Keane teaches self-defense for a living. I’m not about to ‘go all MMA’ on him. Not unless I want to have my ass handed to me.”
Ah. That was what was chafing Ethan. He might be a magical prodigy and everyone’s golden boy, but he knew Keane could take him in a physical fight. Boys and their egos.
“We’ll find a way to get along,” Ethan assured me. “You should have all the protection you can get, and I’m sure Keane is a good man to have in a fight.” There was an edge in his voice, like it was practically killing him to admit that. I must have made some kind of face, because Ethan reached out and gave my shoulder a squeeze.
“It won’t be so bad,” Ethan said. “Even if tensions run a little high, you should be looking forward to your first look at Faerie. It’s a pretty cool place.”
“What could be more fun than traveling in a place where creatures like Water Witches and Spriggans live?” I grumbled.
“Water Witches and Spriggans are both Unseelie,” Ethan reminded me. “We’ll be traveling through Seelie territory.”
“Oh, yeah, and all the creatures of the Seelie Court are sweetness and light.”
He smiled sheepishly. “Well, no. But they’re unlikely to bother Prince Henry.”
I was far from convinced, though I resisted the urge to say so. This was supposed to be a romantic night out, and so far I’d spent most of it whining and complaining. Real attractive.
Ethan’s hand found mine under the table. Our fingers twined. It was a simple touch, but it sent a pleasant shiver through me anyway. Our eyes met and locked, and the rest of the world seemed to fade away. His thumb stroked gently over my knuckles, and I wished that after we were done with dinner, we could have some quiet time together, just the two of us.
But, of course, that wasn’t going to happen. If I was lucky, I
Ethan leaned toward me, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “We’re going to be traveling together for weeks. I bet if we’re clever enough, we can carve out some time for ourselves.”
My heart fluttered at the thought, though I suspected getting time alone on this trip was going to take more than a little cleverness. And even if we did …
Ethan and I could never do much more than make out. I knew I should be satisfied with that, at least for now. It wasn’t like I was ready to go all the way with him even if I didn’t have the Erlking’s bargain hanging over me. But I’ve never been good at living in the moment. Taking care of my mom had taught me from a very young age that I always had to look three steps ahead, had to be ready for the curveballs life was going to throw at me. My forethought had helped keep food on the table and kept us from getting evicted, but sometimes—like now—I really wished I could just switch it off.
Ethan leaned even farther over the table. “I can read you like a book,” he said. “Forget about the Erlking for a while. We can have plenty of fun together without crossing the line.” There was a wicked twinkle in his eyes that made my heart flutter. “I can be very creative, you know.”
I swallowed hard, both excited and intimidated by his words. Just kissing Ethan was almost enough to make me completely lose my head. If we were alone together without a bodyguard/chaperone, I suspected he could completely overwhelm me. There was something very tempting about the idea of being overwhelmed like that, of letting him kiss me until my rational mind went on sabbatical and I just allowed myself to
It was a dangerous temptation. Especially with a guy like Ethan, who was no doubt used to girls who could and would put out. Could I trust him to stop on his own if I let down my guard? Or did we need me to remain in my role as the voice of reason?
I wished I knew.
Chapter Five
The day of the big trip was a typical Avalon summer day, meaning it was gray and gloomy with a hint of chill in the air. Dad had arranged for my bags, except for my backpack, which I refused to part with, to be delivered to the baggage wagon in advance. In the backpack, I put everything that couldn’t exist in Faerie outside a Faeriewalker’s aura, like the little gun. At the last minute, I threw in a digital camera. I would be the only mortal ever to have photographed Faerie. I might have thought that was cool, if I weren’t so nervous.
Prince Henry’s caravan was leaving from the Northern Gate, and when Dad and I arrived, it was to see that the bridge leading to the gate had been cordoned off, only official members of Prince Henry’s party allowed through until after he was gone. I would have thought that was a show of royal arrogance, but blocking off the gate was the only practical solution. The entire parking lot was packed, only a few cars visible in a corner that I suspected was employee parking. The rest of the lot was teeming with people, and horses, and wagons. Some of the Fae were wearing modern clothing, but most were wearing long dresses or breeches. The whole scene looked like something out of a Renaissance Faire.
“Geez, are we traveling with a freaking army?” I muttered to Dad. I’d known it wouldn’t be just my friends and Prince Henry, but I hadn’t realized his entourage would be this substantial.
Dad’s lips curled into a wry smile. “Henry goes nowhere without an army to serve and protect him. It would be beneath his dignity as a prince.”
